A first-principles study on the origin of magnetism induced by intrinsic defects in monolayer SnS2

The effect of intrinsic defects on the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of monolayer SnS2 has been studied using density functional theory. Among the possible intrinsic defects, S vacancy is the most energetically favorable intrinsic defect under the Sn-rich condition, while S-on-Sn anti-site defect is most likely to form under the S-rich condition. Besides, S-on-Sn anti-site defect can realize p-type semiconductor behavior. Additionally, Sn vacancy, Sn-on-S anti-site and S adsorption on the top of S atom from the upper triple layer defects can induce magnetism, which originates mainly from the nearest-neighbor S atoms close to the Sn vacancy, Sn substitutional atom and S adatom, respectively. Moreover, the room temperature ferromagnetism is possible to be realized in monolayer SnS2 with S adsorption on the top of S atom from the upper triple layer defects. These predictions give a new path to explore monolayer SnS2-based magnetic nanomaterials. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.